POLICE are studying similarities between an armed raid at an Otley post office this week and two supermarket robberies in the town.

Baseball bat-wielding robbers smashed the security screen at Weston Post Office at 5.25pm on Monday and threatened the postmaster, to steal a quantity of cash.

It is believed the same men were later seen in Guiseley apparently lost and asking for directions to Manchester.

Weetwood Police say they are not directly linking the robbery to any others, but are looking at similarities between the attack and other raids in the area, including two armed robberies at the Safeway supermarket, in Westgate.

Det Insp Steve O'Callaghan, of Weetwood CID, said: "There are no definite links, but we are looking at them and comparing them."

Police are still looking for robbers who attacked security vans as they called at the supermarket. The second store robbery occurred last month.

In Monday's attack, two balaclava-clad men got out of a stolen white Rover, registered as G217 GNC, and went into the post office on Weston Lane with baseball bats. A third man may have been waiting in the car.

The two robbers smashed the security screen with a sledgehammer. One of the robbers went behind the counter, and threatened the postmaster.

He got away with what police described as a 'substantial amount' of cash. No-one was hurt in the robbery.

A neighbour who lives opposite the post office said: "I didn't see what happened but everyone is really shocked that something as bad as this should happen around here."

A spokesman for Post Office Counters said: "The sub-postmistress was very shocked and shaken but unhurt. The post office was closed all day Tuesday and we advised people to use our other facilities in the town."

After the attack, the men sped off in the car, which was abandoned on Weston Park View. The raiders are believed to have escaped in a blue Rover of a similar age to the first.

The two robbers are believed to be white, while the accomplice in the car was believed to be Afro-Caribbean.

Police also want to trace a white and an Afro-Caribbean man seen in Guiseley asking for directions to Manchester. The two men, who were said to have appeared agitated and lost, were seen in Kelcliffe Lane shortly after the robbery.

The Afro-Caribbean man was described as having a cut on his arm.

The white Rover was stolen from The Birches, Bramhope, between 6pm last Saturday and 10am last Sunday.

Anyone who may have seen the men or either car is asked to contact Weetwood Police on (0113) 2413459 or (0113) 2413460.